Kieran Devaneaux
Grand Admiral Kieran Elias Devaneaux, Warmaster of the Reydovan Military Body (born January 11, 2355 in Belfast, United Republic of Ireland) is a fictional character created by Joshua Underwood in the Star Trek universe. Kieran is based on a character Underwood created in the popular game Phantasy Star Online; he added the history himself. He has been portrayed in art form since the character's inception in 2002. Origins Kieran Devaneaux is the son of the evil Artimus Devaneaux and his wife Anastasia Britanov. On his mother's side, he is the grandson of the legendary General Mikhail Britanov, and nephew to the general's sons Anatoliy and Vasily. His Devaneaux ancestry is a little less flattering, especially due to the actions of his father. In recent days, some have asked if he ever considered renouncing his Devaneaux name because of its connection to Artimus, and if he wanted to his mother's name of Britanov or his wife's name of Taylor. Kieran has always replied in the negative, drawing a corollary with his friend and mentor, Joshua Underwood. "Josh did not renounce his name because of family members' evils," he said, "and neither shall I." Born in Ireland, Kieran was raised primarily by his mother Anastasia. Anastasia did not keep secrets from her son, and told him of all of the evils Artimus had committed. She taught him compassion, but also taught him how to fight to defend himself. This would later fuel Kieran's reputation in Imperial military service as a fierce warrior, but also as the gentlest officer in the Empire. In 2371, when he was 16, Kieran returned to Reydovan Prime with his mother, where Artimus had managed to gain an estate near the now-destroyed city of New Valley Forge - the former hometown of the now-slain Taylor family. Military Service, and a Bond Made Kieran joined the Imperial Navy in 2373, and rose through the ranks fairly quickly. In 2375, he was a Captain-Lieutenant (Lieutenant Commander in Starfleet) when he met the woman who would become his wife - seventeen-year-old Celest Taylor, the only survivor of Artimus' massacre of her family. Celest had become a street ganger, and was put into juvenile detention with no one to claim her, until Anastasia and Kieran found her there. Kieran became Celest's greatest confidant and friend, and she explained to him the events of eleven years earlier, when Artimus had killed her family. Kieran asked her what she thought of him, being the son of the murderer of her family; she said that he was too gentle and kind to be a killer like Artimus. They fell in love, and in 2376 Kieran thought of asking her to marry him when he received word from the Emperor himself: Artimus had been arrested. The Trial of Artimus Devaneaux Kiran Joshmaul himself visited Anastasia, Kieran and Celest at home, and admitted that he was responsible partially for what Artimus had become. He had trained Artimus in the ways of psionic mastery, but somehow in the process Artimus' mind and soul had become malevolent and corrupt. Kieran asked what could be done, and Joshmaul replied, "Nothing except his removal from existence, and that will be difficult." The Emperor explained that Artimus had become so powerful that if he were to be simply killed, he would become a disembodied aura...and could possess any host he wished. However, justice had to take its course, and Joshmaul asked both of them to testify for the prosecution. Kieran and Celest agreed. Celest was the first to testify, remembering painfully the events of 2364 as if they had happened yesterday. Artimus was convicted and sentenced to death, but the Imperial legal system moved too slow for both Joshmaul and Devaneaux's liking. Then, in 2379, Artimus escaped. Kieran and his mother had gone to the prison to prevent him from getting out of the prison grounds, but Artimus brutally killed Anastasia and blinded Kieran in his right eye. Kieran returned the favor, however, and both men have kept the scars, as reminders of their hatred for one another. (In another ironic twist, Artimus had succeeded in completely taking out Celest's right eye; she wore an eyepatch every day afterwards.) ]] Rise of the Warmaster Though the death of his mother and his father's escape took their toll on his psyche, Devaneaux remained devoted to both Celest and his Imperial service. He married Celest in 2377 in a private ceremony attended by Emperor Joshmaul, and settled at their "summer retreat" - Castle Devaneaux, built while Kieran was on Earth. He continued to ascend through the ranks, eventually attaining the rank of Fleet Admiral. In 2383, Grand Admiral Joshua Underwood, then Chancellor, saw that Devaneaux was a shrewd military strategist despite his age, and could see the larger picture. He recommended to Joshmaul that Devaneaux take over as Warmaster of the Reydovan Military Body, a post that Joshmaul had held since the branches were united under one command. Joshmaul agreed, and promoted Devaneaux to Grand Admiral, the second - other than Underwood himself - to be promoted to this rank. He was only 28, a great accomplishment for someone so young. There was a great deal of outrage at first with this move, especially from the older officers, but Devaneaux himself ended all of it when he took charge. Artimus continued to be a threat, but an even greater threat was on Devaneaux's mind - that of the Romulan Star Empire. A new Praetor, Rag'Noseh Tre'Onveh, was in power, and his fleet commander, Fleet Admiral Aventeer Vokar, became Devaneaux's counterpart on the field of battle. Devaneaux and Jeremiah Neill - who had been in command of the Imperial Marine Corps at the time - agreed that a Reydovan response, to show the Federation that the Empire meant business, was in order. To that end, Devaneaux and Neill dispatched Lieutenant General Allan Bressler and his XLVII Strike Legion - a fairly new concept - to oppose "the Butcher of Angosia", General Delon Terrh'vnau. Bressler succeeded in rallying the Angosians, and assaulting the capital of Angosis. Finally, on September 12, 2384, the Romulans withdrew. Then, less than a week later, Devaneaux received news that wasn't all that surprising...at least, to anyone who knew Artimus' mindset. Aventeer Vokar, on the run for attempting to assassinate the corrupt Proconsul Gaius t'Rllaillieu, knew that he would probably be killed if his people got to him. The legendary admiral exercised his Right of Statement and revealed everything he knew of t'Rllaillieu's deceptions, including his being controlled by Artimus. The new Praetor H'daen tr'Rehu, Vokar's predecessor as commander of the Romulan Navy, recalled Vokar to his old rank and titles, and at Vokar's suggestion sent the admiral to speak with Devaneaux. Vokar stressed the need for someone with first-hand experience in dealing with Artimus to aid the Romulans in their future war against him. There was also the fear that Artimus would take control of the Senate, much like he had taken control of t'Rllaillieu. He asked Devaneaux, as well as his wife, to come to Romulus to give their aid. After checking with Joshmaul, Devaneaux accepted. Taking his flagship to Aquarius Station to pick up Celest, Devaneaux then set course for Romulus, to meet with the Praetor. Category: RPG Category: Reydovan Empire